According to CBS 8, San Diego County Sheriff’s Detective John Buckley testified he met with a personal trainer who told him that Lambesis had asked him to kill his wife and mother of three adopted children, Meggan Lambesis. The trainer explained that after turning down Lambesis’ first request to assist with his plan; he reached out to police because “he didn’t want to see an innocent person get murdered.” The trainer then worked with police to set up a sting operation with a fake hitman known as Red. As noted by San Diego’s Reader’s Eva Knott, Red appeared a convincing hitman, weathered and rugged, pierced ears and a long reddish beard that wagged when he talked.

At this meeting, Lambesis handed Red $100 in cash, photos of his wife and her address. The undercover officer testified Lambesis “wanted his wife gone.” The would-be hitman told Lambesis the job would cost $20,000. The meeting ended with Lambesis adding, “Just to clarify, I do want her dead.”

Currently free on $2 million bail, Lambesis will return to court for arraignment October 22. Having plead not guilty to one charge of solicitation of murder, Lambesis could face up to nine years in prison if convicted.

Jay Tilles

Jay is producer for Radio.com. Prior work includes more than a decade of executive producing the popular Kevin & Bean Morning Show on Los Angeles' KROQ-FM. He keeps it real in Long Beach, CA where he owns two retail stores. Follow him on Twitter.